Stanislav Pozdnyakov addressed the ROC Athletes Commission following Russia's exile from international sport ©Getty Images

Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) President Stanislav Pozdnyakov and Oleg Matytsin, the Minister of Sport of Russia, held a meeting with members of the ROC Athletes' Commission following the numerous decisions by International Federations (IF) to exile Russia from the international sporting community.

Russia, alongside Belarus, were outcast after the Government decided to invade Ukraine on February 24.

The International Olympic Committee urged for IFs to ban the two countries from competitions, as well as strip them of hosting rights of events, for breaching the Olympic Truce.

The Olympic Truce demands for peace between competing countries one week before the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony until a week after the Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony.

Olympic artistic gymnastics champion Artur Dalaloyan, two-time Tokyo 2020 swimming gold medallist Evgeny Rylov and two-time Olympic champion wrestler Roman Vlasov were present at the meeting.

Pozdnyakov told the commission, which is chaired by two-time Olympic champion Sophia Velikaya, that the only way athletes and coaches can ensure they are welcomed back to the international sporting community is by continuing to work hard.

Olympic artistic gymnastics champion Artur Dalaloyan was one of the athletes present at the meeting ©Getty Images
Olympic artistic gymnastics champion Artur Dalaloyan was one of the athletes present at the meeting ©Getty Images

In the event of being allowed to participate at Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, the four-time Olympic fencing champion insisted the effort of athletes and coaches will solve any issue of qualifying for the Games.

The commission also heard from Pozdnyakov that communication with international sports organisations and their association is continuing, alongside the selection for the next Olympics.

Matytsin, who is also the President of the International University Sports Federation, informed the attending athletes that all Russian sports federations are in the process of updating their sporting calendar with the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation and the ROC.

The ROC said the plan consists of foreign athletes being invited to be able compete at these events, which are meant to be of equal status to the World and European Championships.

According to the ROC, this is to allow athletes to be awarded with the appropriate sports titles.

Members of the ROC Athletes Commission agreed to appeal to the international sports community to respect the principles of equality and depoliticisation of sports.

Oleg Matytsin told the ROC Athletes' Commission a new sporting calendar is on its way ©Getty Images
Oleg Matytsin told the ROC Athletes' Commission a new sporting calendar is on its way ©Getty Images

The Minister of Sport of Russia also said a proposal has been sent to Rospotrebnadzo, the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, to lift COVID-19 restrictions at federal sports bases.

There is a scheme to conduct a major overhaul and reconstruct some sports facilities so that they are capable of holding training events and competitions.

The ROC is open to allow Belarusian, Armenian and Kazakhstan athletes to use these facilities in addition to the joint training events between Russia and China in 2023, which has been declared the "Year of Russian-Chinese Sports".

Olympic education, athletes adapting to life after retiring, importing substitute equipment, and expanding the scientific and applied projects derived from the ROC Innovation Centres in Moscow, Sochi and Kislovodsk were also discussed.

The ROC announced the traditional "Olympians Ball" is scheduled for December of this year.